Potentials of combined in-orbit calibration methods demonstrated by the MOS-IRS mission

Horst H. Schwarzer; Karl-Heinz Suemnich; Andreas Neumann; Thomas Walzel; Gerhard Zimmermann; Dirk Hagelschuer

doi:10.1117/12.494257

15 November 2000 Potentials of combined in-orbit calibration methods demonstrated by the MOS-IRS mission

Horst H. Schwarzer, Karl-Heinz Suemnich, Andreas Neumann, Thomas Walzel, Gerhard Zimmermann, Dirk Hagelschuer

Proceedings Volume 4135, Earth Observing Systems V; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.494257
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2000, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

In-orbit calibration is an absolutely necessary and accepted tool to update the pre-flight calibration sets of remote sensing instruments on satellites. Only such a periodical recalibration guarantees the long term quality and accuracy of the data and the reliability of the thematic interpretation. Especially for watching global changes of the ocean coastal zones (phytoplancton, sediments, pollution etc.) using spectroradiometric measurements in the VIS/NIR spectral range we need high radiometric accuracy because of small and often only slightly different signals. The Modular Optoelectronic Scanner (MOS) on the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite IRS-P3 has been showing its capacity in this field for more than 4 years. One reason for this success is the sophisticated in-flight calibration using different methods, first an internal parameter check with lamps and second the absolute recalibration with the sun via spectralon diffusers. These two methods together allow the radiometric recalibration with an uncertainty of ± 0.5% with respect to the initial state and enables us in many cases to recognize which opto-electronical component is responsible for which kind of change in different spectral channels and spatial pixels. Radiation stress, satellite and orbit environment, degradation and surface cleaning effects in vacuum are some items which affect the opto-electronical components in different ways. Comparative investigations of some MOS optical components by experimental simulation of the radiation environment in the 820 km IRS sun synchronous orbit for 1, 2, 3 and 10 years radiation load confirm the in-orbit calibration results. The BRDF of the spectralon sun diffuser, the reflectance of anodized aluminum surfaces and the transmission of the front end quartz window did not change by the radiation stress but the transmittance of the front end optics decreases in the blue spectral region up to 10%. These results will be presented together with the in-orbit calibration results of MOS.

Citation Download Citation

Horst H. Schwarzer, Karl-Heinz Suemnich, Andreas Neumann, Thomas Walzel, Gerhard Zimmermann, and Dirk Hagelschuer "Potentials of combined in-orbit calibration methods demonstrated by the MOS-IRS mission", Proc. SPIE 4135, Earth Observing Systems V, (15 November 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.494257

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